Humidifier and heat deflector



Oct. 14, 1930. F. M. WE IR 1,778,441

HUMIDIFIER AND HEAT DEFLECTOR Fiied Dec. 9, 1929 //6 Frag. 4

Patented Oct. 14, 1930 FRANK M. WEIR, on ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA HUMIDI'FIERAND HEAT pnrrne'roa Application filed December 9, 1929. Serial No. 412,819.

My invention relates to humidifiers or a type adaptable particularly for use on socalled hot air registers or any similar device usually built in the wall of a room. at or near the outlet of a hot air, heat conductor from a furnace.

The main objects of theinvention are first,

to provide a simple; elficient and inexpensive humidifier to provide necessary and ample 1 moisture in a room heated by a hot air furnace; second, to provide such humidifier in such design as to require only a minimum of space, said design of thehumidifier embodying. simple construction wherebyhot air en- ;,15 tering a room is mainly deflected from the wall and further means comprising provision of a continuously moistened element exposed to the heat rising from a. register mixing moisture .in said rising heat currents.

My device in a preferred form is fully illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which,

I Fig. 1 is a top View, Fig.2 is a front view and Fig. 3 a right handend elevation of- Fig.

all showing a ,preferredflform of my improved heat deflector andhumidifier.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged crosssectional elevation as on lined-4- in Fig. 3, showing additionally the device hung on the topfiangeof a wall register frame and also a sectional view on the same plane 4-4; of the outlet part of a heat conductor fiue in position to deliver the heated air through said register.

Fig. 5 is a modification of Fig. 1.

. Referring to the drawing by reference numerals, 6 designates a wall in which is an opening 7 having a fixed verticalhot air register 8, the latter having the usual perimetral tlange'SF normally in fixed position close to e the face of the wall 6.

The register has a series of openings 8A for free passage of heated air into a room from a heat flue 9, as indicated by arrows A in Fig. 4, the said heat currents being projected horizontally through the register and normally rising vertically within the room as is well known in the heating field.

My device comprises a horizontally elongated container 11 of triangular shape in cross section and the three sides of said container comprising a vertical wall 11A from which an upper wall 11B extends outwardly and downwardly to converge with a lower wall or bottom 110 at the apex 11F of the triangle which is centrally of and outward of the rear walls. End walls 111) suitably formed are welded or otherwise secured to the ends of parts 11A, B and C to form a com plete water proof container. lVall 11C is formed in an upwardly curved arcuate plane from the lower part of wall 11A for a purpose to be described. It will now be readily understood that the mainbody of my container, in cross section resembles an isosceles triangie, the upper and lower walls 11B-11C being the two equal sides. The body or main container thus is actually shaped like a large wedge held in horizontal plane and the apex or edge of which is normally outwardly of the upper part of a register 8. The upper wall 11B extends rearwardly of wall 11A a short distance in a horizontal plane as 1113 and is thence bent downwardly to provide a narrow downwardly projecting flange 11B, the latter adapted to be wedged in and frictionally engage between wall 6 and the upper horizontalflange SF of the register 8 (see Fig. 4:) Thus the container is readily hooked on the upper flange of a register and its wall 11A bears against the outer face of the register. As said wall 11A is comparatively narrow the free passage of air through the register is not hampered in any way.

12 is a threaded intake openingin the top face of the receptacle and normally closed by a threaded cap 13, water 14 being poured into the receptacle to a suitable level preferably nearly filling the same as indicated in Fig. 4. 15 is an elongated flat plate of suitable absorbent material and is placed to rest on the bottom of the receptacle near the rear wall 11A, being thus mainly submerged in the water and protruding upwardly through a slot 16 parallel to wall 11A and having a portion exposed above the receptacle top as shown. This exposed part isof course always moist as long as there is water in the receptacle and provides the desired amount of moisture for the roomin which the adjacent register provides heat from a furnace. The

heat deflector, its lower wall'surfac'e 110' being in an upward curvature-from-the register the heated air passing therethrough is defiectedtoward the interior of the room as clearly indicated by the arrows A inFig. 4. This is a distinct feature as the heated air doesnot rise vertically directly after leaving the register which condition hitherto has caused Wall areas just above registers tobe come black because of dust and other impurities in the air being carried upwardly by the air currents and lodging on the Wall.

The member 15 may aptly be called a rigid wick. I am aware that wicks have previously been utilized for humidifiers of various kinds but the combination of a saturated wick as described in an air deflecting water container with the features described for hot airheat .ingmeans is'beli'eved to be new. Modifica tions in structural design relating to' proportions, capacity of the container, size of wick, etc., fallwithin the scope and spirit of the invention.

I claim; V 1. A humidifier for hot-air registers fixed in'walls comprising water reservoir detach-- ably securable to the top part of such register,

a moisture exposing memberinsertible down wardly in said reservoir and the water within it, partof said member exposed above the reservoir, said'reservoir further comprising a heat deflector for guiding the heat currents from the register away from the wall in which the register is mounted, said reservoir 001111: prising ahorizontally elongated body with a vertical rear wall, top and bottom walls extending from'said rear wall forming in cross section an isosceles triangle formation, and flange means extending rearwardly from the upper rear part of said reservoir and adapted to frictional'lyengage the top part of a vertical hot air wall register.

2. A humidifier for hot-air registers fixed in walls comprising water reservoir detachably securable to the top part of such register, a moisture exposing member insertible downwardly in said reservoir and the'water within it, part of said member exposed above the reservoir, said reservoir further comprising a heat deflector for guiding the heat currents from the register away from the wall in which the register is mounted, said reservoir provided with an elongated slot in its top part, said moisture member comprising an elongated quadrangular and rigid Wick of absorbent material insertible downwardly in said slot.

3. A humidifier for hot-air registers fixed in walls comprising water reservoir detachably securable to the top part of such register, a moisture exposing member insertible downwardly in said reservoir and the water within it, part of said member exposed above, the reservoir, said reservoir further comprising a heat deflector for guiding the heat currents from the register away from the wall in which the registed is mounted, said reservoir being provided with an elongated slot 1n 1ts top 1 part, said moisture member comprising an elongated quadrangular and rigid wick of absorbent material insertible downwardly in said slot and'said slotted part formed tapered toward its ends to frictionally retain the wick in the tapering parts. I

l. A humidifier for hot air registers comf prising an elongated horizontal water reservoir of wedge shape in cross section, means for detachably engaging said reservoir to the upper part of a register, the lower side of said reservoir formed in an upwardly directed curved plane from the face of the register to provide a heat deflector.

5. humidifier for, hot-air registers in vertical walls and comprising a water reservoir detachably securable tothe top part of such register, a moisture exposing member insertible insaid reservoir and the-,water within it, part of said member exposed above the reservoir, said reservoir. further comprising a heat deflector for guiding the; heat currents from the register away from the wall in which the register is mounted,'said reservoir provided with. an elongated slot in its top to provide outlet of moisture therefrom.

6. In'c'ombination, a heat deflector'and air moistener for hot air registers, said deflector and moistener comprising an elongated water reservoir-adapted to be mounted'over the opening of such register and formed with a lower wall, comprising thedeflectormeans directed away and upwardly from the face of the register, means for filling said reservoir with water and an elongated-opening in the reservoir above the normal water level, an air moistening porous element adapted to be support-ed by said bottom of the reservoir and extending upwardly through said opening, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

FRANK M. IVEIR. 

